Valve mechanism for water-elevators.



J. L. LA-TTA. VALVE MEUHANISIM FOR WATER ELEVATORS.

APPLICATION FILED BEPT. 1 5, 1908.

v Patented Feb. L-IQIU.

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ivweuroz 1% 11 uses J. L. LATTA. VALVE MECHANISM FOR WATER ELEVATORS.

. APPLICATION FILED SEPTJE. 1908.

Patented Feb. 1, 1910. v 'a SHEETS-SHEET 2. J; V f

J.L.LATTA. VALVE MECHANISM FOR WATER ELEVATORS.

' APPLICATION FILED SEPT.15, 1908.

Patented Feb, 1, 1910.

, 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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JOHN LEE LATTA, 0F HICKORY, NORTH CAROLINA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1, 191W.

Application filed September 15, 1908. Serial No. 453,114.

tanks or cylinders for the purpose of eX- pelling the liquid therefrom.

The object of the invention is to provide a novel form of valve forcontrolling the admission of air to and the discharge of air from theliquid containing tanks, whereby the efficiency of the device ismaterially increased.

A further object is to provide an auxiliary valve for controlling theposition of the main valve, said auxiliary valve being actuated by thefluid pressure in the liquid containing tanks.

A further object is to provide a pair of float valves movablealternately to establish communication between the interior of the tanksand the auxiliary valve when the liquid is discharged from said tanks.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve thisclass of devices so as to increase their utility, durability andefficiency.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description,it being understood that various changes 1n form, proportions and minordetalls of eonstruction may be resorted to within the scope of theappended claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of thisspecificationz-Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a compressed airwater elevator showing the improved valve mechanism in connectiontherewith. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the main and auxiliary valvecasings. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view showing the main valve inposition to admit compressed air to one of the tanks. Fig. 4 is asimilar view showing the main and auxiliary valves in reversed position.Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3. Fi6 is .a similar view taken on the line 66 of Fig. 3, the auxiliary valveand valve casing being removed. Fi 7 is a transverse sectional view ofthe auxiliary valve and casing taken on the line 77 of Fig. 4. Fig. 8 isa similar view taken on the line 8 S of Fig. 41.. Fig. 9 is an endelevation of the main valve. Fig. 10 is a detail perspective of one endof the main valve. Fig. 11 is a similar view of one end of the auxiliaryvalve. Fig. 12 is a top plan view of Fig. 1.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of thefigures of the drawings.

The device forming the subject matter of the present invention isdesigned more especially for use in connection with water pumping orelevating devices where compressed air is employed to alternatelydisplace the water from a pair of tanks or cylinders, and in Fig. 1 ofthe drawings there is shown a compressed air water elevator including apair of tanks 5 and 6 each provided with a water inlet valve 7 openingunder the influence of gravity or external pressure and closlng when theair is acting to force the water from the chamber.

Each tank or cylinder is provided with a discharge pipe 8 having a checkvalve 9 disposed within the same for controlling the flow of fluid fromthe tanks.

Connecting the upper ends of the tanks 5 and 6 is a casting 10 having abrass lined valve casing or cylinder 11 secured thereto and connected toa suitable source of com pressed air supply through the medium of a pipe12.

Loosely mounted for sliding movement in the casing 11 is a balancedvalve 13 having an annular groove or air pocket 14 formed in the centralportion thereof and which alternately registers with suitable intakeports 15 and 16 leading to the adjacent water containing tanks and throuh which air is admitted to the interior of the tanksfor the purpose ofdisplacing the water and discharging the same through the pipes 8.

Arranged on one side of the intake ports 15 and 16 are exhaust ports 17and 18 lien through which the air from the interior of the tanks 5 and 6is alternately discharged or exhausted as the main valve travels backand forth in the casing 11.

The opposite ends of the main valve 13 are cut or grooved longitudinallyto form a plurality of relatively short webs or partitions 19 definingintermediate ports 20 arranged to span the adjacent inlet and exhaustports, thereby to form a by-pass to permit the exhaust of compressed airalternately through the ports 17 and 18, in the manner before described.

The Webs or partitions 19 bear against and snugly fit the brass liningof the easing 11 at all points so as to prevent the leakage of air overthe valve from reaching the exhaust ports 17 and 18 and escaping to theatmosphere.

Each end of the main valve 13 is provided with an annular recess 21 inwhich is seated a packing of leather or other suitable yieldablematerial 22, there being an annular rib 23 projecting inwardly from thei111 ner face of each cylinder head 24 and arranged to bear against theadjacent packing 22 as the main valve reciprocates within the valvecasing.

Secured to or formed integral with the valve casing 11 is an auxiliaryvalve casing 25 in which is mounted for sliding movement a closelyfitted piston or auxiliary valve 1 26 for controlling the position ofthe main valve 13, said auxiliary valve being actuated by the airpressure in the tanks 5 and 6, in the manner hereinafter stated.

The auxiliary valve 26 is provided with an intermediate annular grooveor port 27 and terminal annular grooves or ports 28, the intermediateport 27 being adapted to alternately register with suitable exhaustports or passages 29 and 30 leading to the opposite ends of the mainvalve 13, while the terminal ports 28 are arranged to register withsuitable ports or passages 31 and 32 communicating with the interior ofthe liquid containing tanks 5 and 6.

Arranged within each liquid containing tank is a hood or housing 33having its upper end closed and its lower end covered by a strip of wirenetting or other foraminous material constituting a screen 34.

The housings 33 are suspended within the liquid containing tanks bypipes 35 each i having its lower end threaded in the adjacent housing 33and its upper end communicating with the ports 31 and 32 through themedium of suitable air passages 36, as bestshown in Fig. 2 of thedrawing.

Each housing 33 is provided with a port or passage 37, one end of whichcommunicates with the interior of the adjacent pipe 35, while theopposite end thereof opens into 1 the interior of the housing and isprovided 1 with an outwardly opening check valve, in

dicated at 38, the function of which is to permit the exhaust of airfrom the front of the auxiliary valve 26 into the adjacent housing 33 oneach forward and rearward stroke of the auxiliary valve.

Disposed within each housing 33 and communicating with the adjacent port37 is a nipple 39 having a valve seat 40, which lat ter, is closed by afloat valve 41 when the water in the adjacent tank reaches apredetermined level.

The inner end of each float valve 41 is provided with a recess 42 inwhich is seated a packing 43 arranged to bear against the valve seat 40and thus prevent the leakage of air through the passage 37 when thefloat valve is in closed position.

A pipe 44 is threaded in the upper end of each casing or housing 33 withits upper end extending in the direction of the top of the tank andthence bent downwardly to form a hook 45, the function of this pipebeing to admit air under pressure from the upper portion of the tankthrough the valve 40 to the passage 37 and pipe 35 and thence to theports 31 and 32, thereby to actuate the auxiliary valve.

The operation of the device is as follows :The tanks or cylinders and 6are filled with water or other liquid by gravity or external pressurethrough the foot valves 7. The main valve 13 being in the position shownin Fig. 1 of the drawings compressed air enters the annular groove orport 14 through .the supply pipe 12 and thence passes downwardly throughthe port or passage 15 into the tank 5, as indicated by the arrows, theair pressure displacing the water or other liquid in said tank andforcing the same through the adjacent discharge pipe 8 to the point ofconsumption.

As the water in the tank 5 falls below a predetermined level the float41 will drop by gravity, thereby to expose the valve 40 and establishcommunication between the interior of the housing 33 and the port 32.

hen the float valve is moved to open position a portion of thecompressed air in the upper portion of the tank 5 will pass downwardlythrough the pipe 44 into the housing 33 and thence through the valve 40,pipe 35 and passage 36 to the port 32, thereby moving the auxiliaryvalve to the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. As the auxiliaryvalve 26 is actuated by the fluid pressure in the tank 5 the port orgroove 27 in said valve will register with the port 29 and thus permitthe discharge of air at the rear of the main valve 13 through the port29, groove 27 and exhaust port 46 to the atmosphere.

Theair pressure at the rear of the main valve 11 being thus relieved aportion of the compressed air will leak over the valve 13 name? i: l

to the front head of said valve, thereby forc ing the main valve in theopposite direction and causing the packing 22 to bear against theadjacent annular rib or boss 23 011 the cylinder head and thereby cutoff all leakage through the port 29 which would otherwise escape to theopen.

When the main valve is reversed the exhaust port 20 will establishcommunication between the inlet port 15 and port 18 so as to permit thedischarge of air from the tank 5 and permit said tank to be again filledwith water. At the same time the groove or port 14 in the main valvewill register with the intake 16 and thus allow compressed air to enterthe tank 6 and displace the water in said tank, in the manner beforedescribed.

As the water in the tank 5 is discharged, liquid enters the tank 6, andvice-versa, so as to permit the continuous operation of the device.

It will here be noted that when the auxil iary valve 26 is moved ineither direction the volume of air between the valve head and theadjacent end of the auxiliary valve casing will be forced downwardlythrough the ports 31 and 82, passage 36, pipe 35 and port 37 to theadjacent check valve 38 and thence be discharged into the interior ofthe contiguous casing or housing 33, this arrangement of passagesaffording an outlet for the air which will be displaced when theauxiliary piston orvalve 26 is actuated.

It will thus be seen that the auxiliary valve is actuated alternately bythe pressure of air in the liquid containing tanks, while said auxiliaryvalve serves to control the position of the main valve and thus regulatethe admission of air into both liquid contailr ing tanks.

The mechanism herein shown and described is comparatively simple inconstruction and thoroughly practical and eliicient in operation, therelative disposition of the several parts being such as to produce amachine of maximum efliciency with a minimum amount of friction and wearon the parts.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is 1. A device ofthe class described including a plurality of liquid containing tanks, acasing having inlet ports communicating with the interior of the tanksand provided with exhaust ports, a compressed air supply pipe leadingtothe casing, a main valve operating within the casing for controllingthe admission of air into the tanks, an auxiliary valve in communicationwith the interior of the tanks and actuated by the pressure of the airin said tanks to control the position of the main valve, annular ribsextending inwardly from the opposite ends of the main valve casing, andpacking strips carried by the opposite ends of: the main valve andarranged to bear against said ribs when the main valve is moved ineither direction.

2. A device of the class described including a plurality of liquidcontaining tanks, a casing having inlet ports in communication with theinterior of the tanks and provided with exhaust ports, a compressed airpipe leading to the casing, a main valve operating within the casing andhaving its opposite ends provided with annular grooves, a packing seatedin each groove, and an annular rib projecting inwardly from the oppositeends of the valve casing and arranged to bear against the adjacentpacking strip when the valve is moved in either direction.

3. A device of the class described including a plurality of liquidcontaining tanks, a casing having inlet ports communicating with theinterior of the tanks and provided with exhaust ports, a compressed airsupply pipe leading to the casing, a main valve operating within thecasing, an auxiliary valve, housings suspended within the tanks,passages forming a source of communication between the interior of thehousings and the opposite ends of the auxiliary valve, and float valvesoperating within the housings and operable alternately to cut of? theHow of air through said passages to the auxiliary valve.

4. A device of the class described including a plurality of liquidcontaining tanks, a casing having inlet ports communicating with theinterior of the tanks and provided with exhaust ports, a compressed airsupply pipe leading to the interior of the casing, a main valveoperating within the casing, an auxiliary valve for controlling theposition of the main valve, housings suspended within the tanks,passages forming a source of com munication between the housings and theopposite ends of the auxiliary valve, air pipes communicating with theinterior of the housings and having their upper ends extended in thedirection of the top of the tanks and provided with downwardly extendingterminals, and float valves operating within the housing for alternatelycontrolling the fiow of air from the tanks to the opposite ends of theauxiliary valve.

5. A device of the class described including a plurality of liquidcontaining tanks, a casing having inlet ports communicating with theinterior of the tanks and provided with exhaust ports, a compressed airsupply pipe leading to the casing, a main valve operating within thecasing, an auxiliary 125 valve for controlling the position of the mainvalve, housings suspended within the tanks, passages forming a source ofcommunieation between the interior of the hous- In testimony that Iclaim the foregoing ings and the opposite ends of the auxiliary as myown, I have hereto aflixed my signa- Valve, float valves operatingWithin the ture in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

housings for controlling the floW of air to JOHN LEE LATTA. 5 theopposite ends of the auxiliary valve, and lVitnesses:

a check Valve operating Within said pas- N. W. CLARK,

sages. J. C. MARTIN.

